Manifold tube coupling



March 30, 1948. A.\L PARKER 2,438,679

MANIFOLDy TUBE COUPLING Filed' May 15,. 1945 I 71 @TAM/L v l `@Moll/M4415 Patented Mar. 30, 1948 MANIFOLD TUBE, COUPLING Arthur L. Parker, deceased, late of Cleveland, Ohio, by Helen M. Parker, executrix, Shaker Heights, and Lorain N. Vandervoort, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Parker Appliance Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,800

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in manifold tube couplings, that is, a coupling for joining a group of tubes.

An object of the invention is to provide a coupling of the above type wherein certain selected tubes will be connected when the coupling members are assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling of the above type wherein the tubes, after being arranged in a, desired order for connection, may be connected in the same order whenever the couplings are assembled.

A still further object `of the invention is to provide a coupling of the above type for tubes having the ends thereof flared wherein each member is provided with means for selectively arranging the tubes for connection and wherein said positioning means holds the flared ends of selectedI tubes in sealed contact with each other when the coupling is closed.

In the drawings which show by way Vof illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View through a manifold `coupling embodying the improvements with tubes arranged therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of one of the coupling members showing in side elevation the tube positioning member disposed therein;

Figure 3 is a similar view of the other coupling member with its Iassociated positioning member;

Figure 4 is an end View of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 3. n

The improved coupling as illustrated includes a female member I and a male member 2 having a threaded connection as indicated at 3. The female member I has a bore 4 therethrough through which a group of tubes may be inserted. As shown in the drawings, there are four tubes a, b, c and d. The female member I is counterbored to provide a cylindrical recess 5. Disposed in said cylindrical recess is a cylindrical tube positioning member t. Said vtube positioning member is shaped to conform generally to the recess 5 in the coupling member.

This positioning member 6 has an extension 'I formed with parallel sides and semi-circular ends, as shown in Figure 4. The positioning member 6 is provided with two bores 8 and 9 indicated in broken lines in Figure 4. The positioning member f5 is also provided with a recess Iii which has parallel sides and semi-circular ends. This recess is shaped similar to the extension 1. The position- 5 claims. (o1. 285-21) ing member is also provided with bores I I and I2 which open into the recess Ill.

The male member 2 has a bore I3 therethrough through which tubes a', b', c `and d are inserted. Associated with the male member 2 is a positioning member Ill similar to the positioning member 6. This positioning member has an extension I5 provided with flat parallel sides and semi-circular ends. This extension is shaped to Iitwwithinl the recess I0 of the positioning member 6. The positioning member I4 is also provided with a recess I6 having parallel sides and semi-circular ends and this recess is shaped to conform to the extension 'I which is adapted to t therein. The positioning member I4 is provided with bores I'I and le which pass through the eX- tension I5 and these bores are adapted to receive the'tubes c?, d. The positioning member I4 is also provided with bores I9 and 2t which are adapted to receive the tubes a' and b. Y

In the coupling of the tubes it is desired to join the tube a to the tube a', b to b', c to c' and d to d', whenever the coupling is assembled. The tubes `a and d pass through the extension 'i while the tubes a and d' pass through the positioning member Il! into the recess IB and therefore when the extension 'I is placed in the recess I6 the tubes d and a will be brought into alignment and the tubes d and d will also be brought into alignment. The same is true of the tubes b, b' and c, c', which are located in the recess I@ andthe extension I5, respectively.

In the present embodiment of the invention each tube is provided with a flared en-d. TheA tube a has a flared end a2 and the tube a' has a ared end a3. The tube c has a flared end c2 and the tube c has a iiared end c3. The other tubes b and d are similarly flared and when the couplings are assembled the tubes are not only brought into alignment, but the liared ends of the tubes are brought into abutted relation. The positioning members are so dimensioned that when the nut is turned into the female member the positioning member I4 will bear against the flanges of the tubes associated therewith and will press the anges of the tubes against the flanges of the tubes associated with the positioning member 6. This forcing of the flanges of the tubes into intimate contact seals the connection between the tubes. Whenever it is desired to disconnect the tubes the coupling members are separated, and when it is again desired to connect the tubes .the coupling members will be reassembled and the same selected tubes will be connected with each other.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It is essential, however, that the coupling members shall have associated therewith -devices in which the tubes may be inserted in aselected order, which devices ensure that the tubes shall be connected in the order selected" whenever the coupling members are assembled.

While the coupling is illustrated as used in connection with four tubes, it will be understood a separate bore for each tube of thegroup associated therewith, said positioning members being in alignment and each having an extension adapted to fit within a recess in the opposed positioning member whereby the connection of certain' selected tubes in the group is ensured when the coupling members are joined.

4. A coupling for a group of tubes comprising Vcoupling members having a threaded connection,

that the group of tubes which are to be connected I may consist of two or any desired number of tubes within certain limitsV and, of course, the

positioning members will be slightly modied so 1 as to provide a bore for each tube wherebythe tubes are maintained in a certain order nection.V

We claim:

1. A coupling for aV group of tubes comprising coupling members having a threadedconnection,V

said coupling members when connected being provided with bores in alignment through which groupsof tubes to beconnected maybe inserted, sajdcoupling members being provided with a( recessf opposed tube positioning` members in said recess Veach Yof*V said positioning members havingY a separate bore f or each tube of the group associated therewithin which the tubes may be arrangedin a Adesired order, and means ensuring the connection ofV certain selected tubes in the group when said coupling members are joined.

f 2. A couplingfor Vaigroup of-tubes comprising couplingmembers .having athreaded connection, saidcoupling members, when .connected being provided with bores in alignment through which groups of tubes tobe connected may be inserted,V

said coupling membersv being provided with a recess-opposed tube positioning members in said recessr'each, positioning member havingra separatebore foreach tube of the grouprassociated therewith in which. the tubes may be'larra'nged inta desired order, and cooperating locating def,

said coupling members when connected being V'provided with bores in alignment through which groups of tubes -to Ybe connected may be inserted, said coupling members being provided with a recess, o'pposedrtube positioning members in said `recess each member having a separate bore for each tube of the group associated therewith in which the tubes may be arranged in a desired order and cooperating locating devices carried by theposltioning members for ensuring the con- Number Name *Date f 2,328,468 Lamy s l Aug. 31, 1943 2,391,063v Madsen K Y V Dee. Y18, 1945 nection of certain selected tubes therein when said coupling members are joined, the end'of said positioning membersKV being spaced: from each other so Vas to permit the ends of the tubes `to be projected therefrom and make abutting contact whenfthe coupling is closed.

5. A coupling for a group of tubes comprising coupling members having a `threaded connection,-

said coupling members when connectedrbeing provided with bores in alignment throughfwhich groups of tubes to be connected maybe inserted,

Vsaid coupling members Ybeing provided withr-a recess, opposed tube positioning members in said recess,- saidY tube positioning `members `having separate -bores therethrough inV alignment for the Y v tubes to be joined, eachpositioning member hav- 1 ing an extension adapted kto enter a similarlyshaped recessin the'opposed extension, the ends of said positioning membersbeing spaced from;Y

each other so as to permit the ends of the tubes to be expanded so as to overliegtheends ofthe positioning` members whereby saidtube vends will be forced into intimate sealed contactwithV each other when the couplingis closed.

' HELEN'M. PARKER. -Y

Eecutria: for Arthur L. Parker, Deceased.

noRAIN YN. .vANDERvooRT Y REFERENCES CITED The Vfollowing'references are of record in the le of this patent:` .Y Y

UNrrED STATES PATENTS 

